Professional Documents
Culture Documents
August 2008
Business Process
Social Component Models Models Social
Business Model Process Models
IBM
Social Social Performance
Social Industry
Functional Model Model
Model
Social Reference Social Data Model
Architecture Technology Information
Models Models
Joseph Fiorentino
Martin Duggan
Brenna Berman
IBM Social Industry Model
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IBM Social Industry Model
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Contents
1. Introduction 4
1. Introduction
For 10 years IBM has been exploring the commonalities among social services
and social security organizations and programs in countries around the world
to help us and our partners develop more powerful solutions for the industry.
Through hundreds of projects covering everything from policy and service
delivery strategy to the development and support of business applications, we
have established a deep understanding of the synergies between programs and
across different social systems.
During that time, IBM has also been working on industry models in the
insurance, retail and banking industries. In 2005, the IBM Global Social
Segment established a research project to explore the potential of an “industry
model” for social organizations. In 2007, we started using elements of that
research in our new solutions with clients with great success. We have now
industrialized what we call the IBM Social Industry Model and are making it
available on a wider basis.
This white paper explores industry models and describes the key elements and
characteristics of the IBM Social Industry Model and how it can be used to
help social organizations define and implement their transformation roadmap.
Martin Duggan
IBM Global Social Segment
IBM Social Industry Model
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Many people understand that social policies are rarely created anew. They
We believe that the IBM Social are often taken from another country or social system and then modified and
Industry Model can bridge the implemented. So what may look new in a country has often been implemented
business and IT worlds and lead to somewhere else before. If we were able to capture the thinking that went into
more flexible, effective and efficient these practices and then make them available in a re-usable form, it would
social organizations. allow social organizations to implement them faster and more effectively.
If, at the same time, we could combine these leading practices with innovative
business modeling techniques around “componentization” and then align the
result with the latest IT architectural thinking, we would bring together policy,
business and IT in one consolidated approach.
That is the thinking behind the IBM Social Industry Model, which is:
• A structure and framework for describing good1 practices gathered from
leading implementations around the world;
• The latest business modeling techniques; and
• An aligned Service-Oriented Architecture.
In this chapter, we look at two ends of the spectrum – the high-level business
challenges and the promise of increased business flexibility from the IT world
of Service-Oriented Architectures. We believe that the IBM Social Industry
Model can bridge the business and IT worlds to lead ultimately to more
flexible, effective and efficient social organizations.
1
We refrain from using the word “best” practice because, in this industry, there
are often multiple options for implementation that sometimes depend on political
ideals.
IBM Social Industry Model
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Around the world, social organizations face many of the same challenges, and
yet each organization tries to develop its own solutions, answers and policies.
Figure 1 describes the challenges many social organizations face. These are
often pervasive across programs and countries and drive the need to look more
holistically at the problems and the clients than in the past.
Challenges
facing social
organizations
worldwide
Instead of looking at point solutions for each of the problems, we need to start
Highlights looking at the overall transformation required to become a more flexible and
effective service delivery organization. This is where a structured strategic
modeling approach excels and is the primary role of an industry model
– re-shaping the organization to focus on the business environment and
providing the transition roadmap to solving the business challenges.
An industry model should provide the templates, the content and the strategies
to solve key business problems. It should redefine the organization from the
In the last few years, Service- top down to become more flexible and responsive to change, more effective in
Oriented Architecture (SOA) has achieving outcomes and more efficient in service delivery.
emerged as an effective approach
to building flexible, re-usable and 2.2 SOA can help, but it needs better business definitions
supportable applications.
Depending on whom you talk to, information technology (IT) has been both
the solution and the problem for many of the industry’s challenges. There is no
doubt it has made processing large amounts of information faster and easier,
but many social organizations are now tied up with complex legacy computing
systems that no longer meet their needs or cannot be changed fast enough to
meet the demands of politicians. IT itself has become part of the problem.
There have been a number of attempts by the software industry to better link
business and IT systems, from X/Open and Object-Oriented Programming
standards to common language initiatives such as XML. These were often
attempts to improve inter-operability and re-use of applications. In the last
few years, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) has emerged as an effective
approach to building flexible, re-usable and supportable applications.
Adoption of SOA by social organizations is high.2
2
See Blatt and DiMare: "From possibility to actuality: Why social services and
social security organizations are turning to SOA," IBM Institute for Business
Value.
IBM Social Industry Model
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SOA provides a foundation for building new, and extending old, applications.
SOA is typically based on modeling approaches that enforce good disciplines
on the organization in defining a business-based service model. But it still
requires good business definitions in what is essentially a technical outcome.
Today, many SOA projects are IT driven and lack strong business design,
modeling and leadership. The IBM Social Industry Model fills that gap by
providing the business definitions for SOA implementation.
The IBM Social Industry Model is designed to bridge the gap between
business and IT. It brings together experiences from different programs and
different social systems. It starts at the highest levels of business definition
and logically moves to detailed functional and process specifications.
IBM Social Industry Model
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organization has its own unique culture, processes and way of doing business,
Highlights we found the similarities to be compelling. We concluded that many lessons
and experiences can be shared between social organizations within the same
systems and between countries if mechanisms existed to promote that sharing.
In 2007, we started using elements of that research in our new solutions with
Many lessons and experiences clients with great success.
can be shared between social
organizations within the same In 2008, we industrialized the research as the IBM Social Industry Model,
systems and between countries and our intent is to make this available to social organizations through our
if mechanisms exist to promote solutions and our partners.
sharing.
3.2 Elements of the IBM Social Industry Model
The IBM Social Industry Model consists of set of business and system
development models as described in Figure 2.
Business Process
Social Component Models Models Social
Business Model Process Models
IBM
Social Social Performance
Social Industry
Functional Model Model
Model
Social Reference Social Data Model
Architecture Technology Information
Models Models
Program Financial
Case supervision accounting management
Outcome Service provider Performance and
Product design Campaign
Oversight evaluation and planning, budgeting outcome HR
design
and performance and monitoring management Funds management management
Compliance and
accountability analysis Activity integrity control
management
Strategic Product Campaign Provider Appeals Banking IT
reporting administration administration performance arrangements management
Document
management
management
Benefit/service Compliance
Recording, licensing eligibility and Program account and integrity
Analysis and Prospect and contracting calculation reconciliation assessments Financial
forecasting management delivery
Product
Intake registration Benefit/service Collections Risk detection,
implementation
Service planning and prevention and
and capability
delivery Screening and delivery Payments reporting HR delivery
management
referral
Community Marketing and
Performance Debt collection Quality
building advertising
Communications measurement assurance IT delivery
Banking operations Remediation
3
Inter-organizational operating models might include "Not-for-profits," separate
appeals organizations, policy and service delivery separation, private sector
operation and others.
IBM Social Industry Model
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The component business map is at the heart of the IBM Social Industry
Model, providing both a way to achieve a common representation of a social
organization and a framework that ensures consistency and linkage across the
business, process, information and technology models.
4
There are some 30 functions defined in the Social Functional Model for the
Screening and Referral Component. These are shown for illustrative purposes.
IBM Social Industry Model
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The Social Functional Model is the starting template for defining core business
requirements and can be viewed as a static representation of the business, or
“what” the organization needs to be able to do to meet its mandate.
IBM Social Industry Model
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The Social Process Models contain business processes for social services
and social security organizations. The processes are mapped to the relevant
components of the Social Component Business Map and link to the functions
defined in the Social Functions Model so there is an interconnected and
consistent framework supporting the principles of componentization
incorporated into the overall IBM Social Industry Model. Figure 4 describes
the high-level framework for the Social Process Models.
Manage Appeals
Financial Management
The Social Process Models include more than 100 industry-based business
processes that address areas such as:
• Registration: The processes for either joining a social organization, or being
accepted as a legitimate claimant. The required action may be as simple as
making a contribution through a person’s employer or as complex as a multi-
program registration form.
• Intake: The processes for applying for a benefit or service. This includes
screening and referral processes for reviewing client information against
a series of services and benefits to determine what is believed to be an
appropriate “bundle” to meet the client's needs. It also includes processes for
connecting a client, provider or partner with another product or provider that
helps meet the client’s needs.
• Verification and Assessment: The processes for verifying evidence and
providing an assessment of whether or not an applicant is entitled to the
requested benefit or service.
IBM Social Industry Model
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Like the Social Functional Model, the Social Process Models are defined
primarily as cross-program processes with some program specific areas
identified. Our aim is to build the processes across programs as often
as possible without detracting from the Model’s usefulness to individual
programs. For some programs, we have included a program-specific guide that
assists use of the Model in specific areas.
The Social Process Models help get re-design projects off to a quick start
because the pre-analyzed processes are populated with the content required
to describe social organizations’ operations. An organization not only can
compare its own business processes to successful practices, but also can
understand how to optimize its processes to support the organization’s
mandate.
IBM created the Social Process Models to align to the business functions in the
Social Functional Model. In the same way the Social Functional Model defines
the “what” an organization needs to be able to do, the Social Process Models
define the “how” an organization undertakes its mandate. This link between
the static view of the Social Component Business Map and its underlying
business functions on one hand and the dynamic view of the business
processes on the other helps organizations fully define their business model.
IBM Social Industry Model
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Within the IBM Social Industry Model there are two Social Information
Models being developed to provide an overall reference for data in the
organization.
The core content in the Models is already being used by IBM consultants.
However, given IBM’s recent acquisitions, we are taking the opportunity to
evaluate further integration possibilities. We expect to release the Social
Performance Model and Social Data Model in 2009.
IBM Social Industry Model
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Process Visibility
Packaged Components
Services Services
Contact
Forms /
Center
Fax Assessment Customer Applications
Clients Intake
Report Legacy Appeal
Systems System
Browser
Referral
Registration Financial
HR Systems System
E-mail Self- Vendor Fraud
Case
Workers service Optimization Management Management
View Claims
Workplace Services
Directory
Phone Server
Deliver
PDA Determine Service Plan
Eligibility
Service Referral
Providers Text Calculate
Message Case Entitlement
Workers
Analytics
Workplace
Informational
Referral Services
Integration (ESB)
1. Participants and Channels: This provides the link between the users of the
Highlights application and the system itself, through one or more channels.
6. The Infrastructure Layer: Additional applications and services that are used
across the business processes.
Those artifacts, along with the Model’s tools (See 3.3), enable the definition
of an SOA that is much more likely to produce a truly reusable service-based
infrastructure for a social organization.
In order to use the IBM Social Industry Model in an organization, it will need
to be tailored and customized to the needs of that organization. There are few
organizations in the world that undertake all of the components described in
the Social Component Business Map, and even they may not cover the entire
The IBM Social Industry Model scope defined in the Social Functional and Social Process Models. The tools5
is delivered electronically and in the IBM Social Industry Model support its customization to meet the needs
includes the IBM Social Industry of each social organization.
Model Workbench (for accessing,
managing and viewing the Model) The Model is delivered electronically and includes the IBM Social Industry
and IBM modeling software (for Model Workbench – for accessing, managing and viewing the Model – and IBM
customizing the Model’s content). modeling software for customizing the Model’s content.
The IBM Social Industry Model includes different models for different
purposes, a feature referred to as “separation of concerns.” This allows the
different models to be more efficiently tailored to tackle different problems. In
order to maintain cohesion and consistency among all the models, it is critical
to define a traceability path between models so that changes in one model are
reflected in the others.
The IBM Social Industry Model addresses this problem by defining all the
models in a common, relational repository where they are mapped to each
other. This repository is called the IBM Social Industry Model Workbench and
is illustrated in Figure 6. The Workbench is a Web-based application that is
used as the common repository for publishing all the models that make up the
IBM Social Industry Model, and it ensures traceability across models and the
re-use of definitions.
5
The IBM Social Industry Model can be delivered and used without the tools if
required.
IBM Social Industry Model
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Business Process
Social Component Models Models Social
Business Model Process Models
IBM
Social Social Performance
Social Industry
Functional Model Model
Model
Social Reference Social Data Model
Architecture Technology Information
Models Models
The CBM tool connects to other business modeling tools that are used
Highlights to modify the IBM Social Industry Model content, such as the process
and technology templates enabling a social organization to associate its
organizational processes with its business strategy.
The business process diagrams that make up the Social Process Models
The Social Process Models are fully can be accessed and viewed in the IBM Social Industry Model Workbench.
implemented in IBM WebSphere However, a business process modeling tool is required when tailoring the
Business Modeler, which provides models to reflect the unique requirements and specific business rules of
the ability to integrate details of the individual organizations. In the IBM Social Industry Model Workbench, we
future state into a single repository have chosen to document the processes separately from the process modeling
and to represent that future in tools to allow organizations flexibility in choosing the right process tool for
visual tools. their needs.
The Social Software Assessment Tool is designed to assist with “buy” versus
“build” decisions. It provides the functional assessment capability in that
decision, but does not address areas such as non-functional requirements,
strategic sourcing decisions or pricing considerations.
IBM Social Industry Model
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The content of the IBM Social Industry Model is regularly validated and
enriched by social services experts. It is designed to be readily accessible to
business users. This chapter describes how the IBM Social Industry Model can
be used to help define and build flexible and dynamic social organizations.
The first step is to evaluate each business component and rate the importance
to the organization. The second step is to evaluate the capability of the
organization to deliver the business component. The resultant mapping shown
in Figure 8 is known as a “heat map” and can be used to direct investment
prioritization.
IBM Social Industry Model
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Benefit/service Compliance
Recording, licensing eligibility and Program account and integrity
Analysis and Prospect and contracting calculation reconciliation assessments Financial
forecasting management delivery
Product
Intake registration Benefit/service Collections Risk detection,
implementation
Service planning and prevention and
and capability
delivery Screening and delivery Payments reporting HR delivery
management
referral
Community Marketing and
Performance Debt collection Quality
building advertising
Communications measurement assurance IT delivery
Banking operations Remediation
In the example illustrated in Figure 8, the colored areas are areas of priority.
The green areas are where current capability is rated as good. The yellow
is where incremental improvements are required. The red is where major
investments or acquisitions are required.
IBM Social Industry Model
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There are many other strategic uses for the Social Component Model. IBM
Highlights has used it to help social organizations undertake mergers by aligning people,
functions and resources from both organizations into a new organization. We
have used it to create organizational models, and we have used it to help with
the strategic alignment of business and IT.
The Social Component Business
Map provides the “straw man” that The Social Component Business Map provides the “straw man” that enables
enables an organization to quickly an organization to quickly define itself in discrete components to help define
define itself in discrete components strategy and investment prioritization.
to help define strategy and
investment prioritization. 4.2 Determining functional requirements
The Social Component Business Map and Social Functional Model provide a
basis for rapidly and accurately defining business requirements.
These modified functional requirements can be used for many purposes. They
can form the basis of an application specification or vendor comparison. They
can be used for procurement scoring and even for detailed organizational
design.
Social organizations have traditionally evolved their processes over many years
into what is often a complex interwoven environment. Changing processes
is complicated and usually involves changes in business, people and IT.
IBM has developed the Social Process Models to assist in this complex area
because moving to new optimized business processes is a key feature of all
transformation projects.
IBM Social Industry Model
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The IBM Social Industry Model can help with both these stages. In the “as-is”
analysis stage, the Social Component Business Map and Social Process Model
enable a team to identify the scope of the business areas being assessed,
within a program and across program areas. Then the Social Industry
Model Workbench is used to download the process templates associated
with the business areas so they can be used in assessing the processes and
organizational components of the existing delivery processes. This identifies
opportunities for improvement and innovation and determines the design
parameters for the new processes.
The IBM Social Industry Model includes tools and content to facilitate the
Highlights assessment of applications that an organization wants to extend or change.
The business processes, activities and functions contained in the IBM Social
Industry Model represent the functional requirements of social systems.
By overlaying the functional requirements onto the existing systems, an
The Model contains tools and organization can determine:
content to assess existing • Gaps: No system exists, the system lacks key functionality, or it is poorly
applications. designed;
• Duplication: Multiple systems compete for the same functionality; and
• Overextension: A system designed to support one function is extended to
help support others for which it may not have appropriate capabilities.
In this approach, the initial step uses the Social Component Business Map
and the Social Functional Model as a reference point to develop a functional
requirements table for each of the selected components. Once complete,
current functionality of the selected production applications is mapped and
it becomes possible to see the resultant mapping on the Social Business
Component map as illustrated in Figure 9.
Oversight
Outcome
Product design Campaign
Service provider
e m 1
Performance and
t
evaluation and planning, budgeting outcome HR
Sys
design
and performance and monitoring management Funds management management
Compliance and
IT
accountability analysis Activity integrity control
management
Strategic Product Campaign Provider Appeals Banking IT
reporting administration administration performance arrangements management
Document
management
management
Benefit/service Compliance
Recording, licensing eligibility and Program account and integrity
Analysis and Prospect and contracting
Sys t delivery
IT
Intake registration Benefit/service Collections Risk detection,
implementation
Service planning and prevention and
and capability
delivery Screening and delivery Payments reporting HR delivery
management
referral
Community Marketing and
Performance Debt collection Quality
building advertising
Communications measurement assurance IT delivery
Banking operations Remediation
This analysis would be used to re-align IT system usage so that it is more clearly
Highlights aligned with the business components, without duplication, over-extensions or
gaps. This analysis technique is particularly appropriate when looking across
program-based IT systems and looking for cross-program leverage.
4.5 Do you buy or do you build; if you buy, what package meets the functional
requirement?
The IBM Social Industry Model 4.6 Building flexible and robust SOA-based business applications
provides a structured set of
foundation models that act as a Every social organization, and possibly each project, will have a distinct set
business layer for an SOA. of technology challenges relating to its target operating environment. These
challenges range from the limitations of existing systems and infrastructure
to the requirements of the selected solution architecture. Many organizations
are looking at Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) as a design approach to
simplify a complex environment and/or extend legacy applications.
The IBM Social Industry Model provides an input to the analysis and design
phase for SOA-based legacy transformation, custom development and/or
package implementation. The Social Component Business Map provides
a strong starting point for developing a common representation of a social
organization’s business architecture, and the Social Reference Architecture
provides sample artifacts to support the creation of a target Service Model.
This exact design approach will vary by the SOA modeling techniques used.
The IBM Social Industry Model is designed to be independent of those
techniques. What it provides is the business design framework for SOA-based
applications.
IBM Social Industry Model
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IBM has a long, distinguished record working with many social organizations
around the world, and that experience has directly influenced the development
of the IBM Social Industry Solutions portfolio. IBM Social Industry Solutions
combine our unique insight into social organizations with leading strategic
consulting skills and unparalleled technical assets. The solutions are designed
to meet the needs of organizations today and to help prepare for the challenges
organizations will face tomorrow.
Together, IBM Social Industry
Solutions and the IBM Social The solution portfolio includes a range of offerings to support social
Industry Model give social organizations during all phases of their modernization efforts and leverages the
organizations all of the tools and complete strength of IBM. The offerings are targeted to help organizations:
techniques as well as support and • Develop Strategies to Improve Service Delivery: leveraging innovation
flexibility they need to take on any and global experience to help social organizations define where they want to
modernization initiative. go in the future, what outcomes they want to achieve and how they want to
interact with their clients;
• Build Future Business Models and Processes: using the IBM
Social Industry Model to define the best business model to achieve an
organization’s goals, to define the processes to support that new business
model and to establish the transition plan to drive adoption of new models
across employees, programs and partners; and,
• Implement Solutions to Support Your Business: applying leading industry
software to implement technologies that support an organization’s business
goals, including integrated case management solutions, legacy transformation
solutions and strategic software solutions, such as document management
and business intelligence, which enhance an organization’s service delivery
capabilities.
Together, IBM Social Industry Solutions and the IBM Social Industry Model
give social organizations all of the tools and techniques as well as support
and flexibility they need to take on any modernization initiative. Further
information about IBM Social Industry Solutions and the IBM Social Industry
Model can be found at the IBM Global Social Segment Website at:
http://www.ibm.com/government/social
IBM Social Industry Model
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